Miracle in Me

National Geographic: Best pictures of 2009

2009-12-18T10:05:00.037-05:00

Glorious Day ~ Casting Crowns

2009-11-22T22:05:00.004-05:00

One day when Heaven was filled with His praises

One day when sin was as black as could be

Jesus came forth to be born of a virgin

Dwelt among men, my example is He

Word became flesh and the light shined among us

His glory revealed

Living, He loved me

Dying, He saved me

Buried, He carried my sins far away

Rising, He justified freely forever

One day He's coming

Oh glorious day, oh glorious day!

One day they led Him up Calvary's mountain

One day they nailed Him to die on a tree

Suffering anguish, despised and rejected

Bearing our sins, my Redeemer is He

Hands that healed nations, stretched out on a tree

And took the nails for me.

One day the grave could conceal Him no longer

One day the stone rolled away from the door

Then He arose, over death He had conquered

Now He's ascended, my Lord evermore

Death could not hold Him, the grave could not keep Him

From rising again!

One day the trumpet will sound for His coming

One day the skies with His glories will shine

Wonderful day, my Beloved One, bringing

My Savior, Jesus is mine!

Saying Goodbye...

2009-10-24T00:20:00.005-04:00

The past few days have been really difficult for me and my family. It's been so hard to see my Granddaddy decline right in front of my eyes. I know God knows whats best but sometimes its hard to focus on that when the emotion of losing a loved one is the forefront in my eyes...it's so hard for me to think about going next door and not seeing him anymore, or never hearing him say "what's your hurry?" before leaving, or never eating cornbread'n'milk with him again...the thought just sends tears running down my cheeks...but as much as I love him and will miss him, I know that in just a few days, he will finally be able to talk again, and he'll be able to count to 10 (...he cut his finger off a couple years ago and joked that he could only count to nine and a half now) again...how could I possibly want him to stay here and suffer in a broken down body...and best of all...in just a few days, he'll be with God Almighty.

This is something my dad wrote and posted on my mom's blog...and I thought it was so good that I just had to steal it...my dad is a pretty wise guy...

“What a blessing it is to see a righteous man die.”

That statement may seem quite morbid but watching an elderly man with a gaggle of family hovering about his deathbed is a beautiful thing in itself but to know this man and to know his Lord is truly amazing. I am writing about my father-in-law of over twenty years and someone I have gone to church with for almost forty years. I have watched him live out what he believes and the proof of the pudding is watching him come to the end of his life. He is ready to go! What holds him back is his love of family and still making sure that they are all right and taken care of. I have seen this in my own father and had to convince him that we would take care of things and that he could go home.

ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease) has attacked Cam’s throat and pallet making it impossible to swallow and speak. Over the years he has lost sight in his left eye and his right eye is not much better, yet his desire to “DO” is only now crawled to a halt. He has gone from home, to hospital, back home, to hospital, to rehab center, back home again, to hospital, and now to a Hospice house in only two months with no hope for another physical move. This time the transition will be from life to life eternal and from sinful, failing flesh to a new body that is free from sin and in the presence of his Lord Jesus.

Although medication has him groggy, he still gets his point across with grunts, hand signals, and a pad to write on. His mind is still in fairly good shape. One day in the hospital with nine of us in the room, he took his pad and marker and wrote, “I love y’all” and signed it. My wife absconded with that treasure and is trying to preserve it. He gives us the thumbs up and raises his hands into the air letting us know that he is ready to go. A few days ago I was in the hospital room with just he and his bride of sixty-six years. He was making a continuous sound but it was not like a moan. Evelyn started to sing an old hymn and that is what he was doing. He was singing and all I could do was listen to the two of them sing praises to the one who had given them this kind of peace. I still break into tears every time I think about this moment because of the great assurance that we have in Christ Jesus through his saving grace. This is not death…but a graduation into the glory that faith in what the Precious Lamb of God did for us on the cross has assured us. Not works, although this man was a laborer for the Lord, or being good but only the Blood of Jesus Christ can deliver this kind of rest when coming to the end of your life. What fear other men must have at this hour, not knowing what is next and fearing their rejection of what might just have been truth.

Now you know how I can say what a blessing it is to see a righteous man die. As hard as it is to say good by to Christian friends and Christian family…there is truly assurance that with that last breath comes the moment that every believer longs for…that moment when we can look into the eyes and are embraced by the One who saved us. We have fought the good fight and are truly at home, no longer aliens in this world, but home. Praise be to the Lord Jesus Christ!!

Halleluiah and Amen!

GUESS WHAT!!!!!

2009-10-20T23:13:00.001-04:00

YEP! Baby Wilfong #3 is due June 1, 2010!!!! I cannot wait!!!! CONGRATULATIONS to my favorite sister!!!! =D

um WOW

2009-09-25T17:09:00.001-04:00

These little girls are called the Cactus Cuties...two 8 year olds, one 7 year old, and two 6 year olds...WOW what amazing voices!!!

Funny Frogs!

2009-08-30T23:25:00.006-04:00

So yeah, I'm going to be a lead teacher in the Funny Frogs this year! I'm so excited!!!! I have fourteen 3-yr-olds in my room: (and yes, I stole these pics from other blogs/facebook...if you want them taken off, just let me know!)

JUSTUS(don't have a picture of him yet)

It's going to be an amazing year!!!!

...

2009-08-23T21:18:00.002-04:00

I walked a mile with Pleasure;
She chatted all the way;
But left me none the wiser
For all she had to say.

I walked a mile with Sorrow,
And ne’er a word said she;
But, oh! The things I learned from her,
When sorrow walked with me.

~Robert Browning Hamilton

and so it begins...

2009-08-23T00:46:00.001-04:00

my history teacher looks like Ronald Reagan and my math teacher is at least 104 yrs old. :)

Mission 28 is officially starting on Monday...SURVEY BOOTHS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'ts gonne be a crazy semester but its gonna be amazing!!!

I want this played at my wedding!!!!!

2009-08-08T14:40:00.001-04:00

2009-08-03T11:24:00.001-04:00

Happy Birthday Carter!!!

2009-07-25T13:46:00.004-04:00

I can't believe Carter is THREE!!! He turned 3 on Thursday and his party is this afternoon. So happy birthday little man, I love you!!!

URGENT PRAYER REQUEST!

2009-07-24T13:09:00.004-04:00

I got this email from Kate Jakubisin today:

Hello Everyone,

My dad talked with Dean this afternoon and wanted to update you on the current situation in Guadalupe and request prayer for the protection of Rancho3m. Dean said the drug wars moved into Guadalupe, two incidents have recently occurred. The first is the owner of the small store close to the Ranch [we went there several times to buy coke] was kidnapped and ransomed for $20,000. Although the money was paid he was murdered leaving behind a wife and three kids. The second incident was the kidnapping of a drugstore owner in the town of Guadalupe. He was ransomed also. After he was beaten they released him. Because of this, the next group, the Sov. Grace Church of Chesapeake, VA, canceled their trip. Thankfully the Cov Life groups were able to go to the Rancho and return home safely. They were able to dry-in the building for the baby home and are planning on sending a group of 40 men back in October to complete the job. Please pray for the violence to end so that the groups (Cov Life and Apex) planned to come in October will be able to.

Please be praying for the protection of the kids and staff at Rancho3m. Dean requested that we especially pray for protection of the staff and kids the week of July 27-August 3 as the Staff leaves for a week long retreat and the kids will be gone on their summer break, some will go home to their families.

Also, Dean said Alan is doing well, please keep praying for him.

-Kate Jakubisin
"I don't know what the future holds, but I know who holds the future"

PLEASE pray for Rancho3M, Dean and his family, the children at the Ranch, the staff members and the people in the surrounding community. This is a very scary and dangerous time right now so all of your prayers help! Thank you so much!

Our Brand New Broken Car!!!!!!

2009-07-16T23:25:00.005-04:00

So guess what....We have a NEW CAR!!!!! Dad went to get it on Wednesday morning from the guy who sold it to us...then after work he took it to get the wheels aligned and all that good stuff and the Saturn people said the car was in like perfect condition...amazing right?

WELL....that being said and done...dad was on his way home on I85 when the lady in front of him blew a tire. Instead of pulling over to the side of the road, she decided to STOP in the middle of the interstate. Dad, being the careful and experienced driver that he is, stopped behind her with no problems. HOWEVER, there were two cars that swerved to avoid hitting dad but both cars were hit by another car which crashed them into my dad's BRAND NEW CAR!!!! In turn, the force of the impact shoved my dad's car into the car in front of him (the lady with the blown tire) Dad is fine, hardly even sore...but needless to say, our car didn't take it so well:

This is the front of the car after impact
The hit to the right rear busted the back windshield out...throwing glass all the way up front to the DASH BOARD!(Can you tell I watch CSI?)...this is the drivers side "scratch" it is quite a bit longer than the yard stick, and the backseat door on that side doesn't open any more...a piece of the car that hit this side...her headlight was wedged into the backseat door handle!This is the worst impact...totally busted...the brake light works but the turn signal doesn't
So praise God that dad is safe and not hurt and that the car isn't as bad as it could be...but still a downer ya know lol! Anyway so that was our excitement for Wednesday...I think that's all the excitement I need for QUITE a while =D

Mexico Photography

2009-07-12T23:43:00.002-04:00

Alan and YeseniaKailey and MarcosChuyCesarDiego and EdwinEstrellaDanielMari Cruz and MarissaJohana and Ana KarenKailey and JoseJose, Stephanie, and RaulRaulAngel (Tigger)Mi Amiga: Christina Hands......and feet

Mexico Slideshow!

2009-07-04T22:36:00.001-04:00

Here are 150 pictures from our trip to Mexico...its about a 10 minute slideshow so make sure you have enough time to watch it!!!

Slideshow!

2009-07-04T11:46:00.002-04:00

Hey! I made a slideshow of pictures, I posted it to the blog from Youtube so who knows when will actually show up on my blog so here is the link...Warning it's about 10 minutes long

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wgp9XC1xc8M

2009-06-30T08:41:00.003-04:00

Well, I'm officially home again, but I'm pretty sure I left my heart at the Ranch. It's been so hard for me to even think about "normal" life again. I've had a few hard days trying to get back into the swing of things but it seems that everytime I try, I see the face of one of the kids and I just lose it. Here's the letter I wrote to my family...it pretty much sums up everything that happened this week...now you'll have to be patient with me as I try to sort through 692 pictures to select some to post

First of all, I just want to say thank you for supporting me and praying for me while I was in Mexico. It meant a lot to me to receive so much support from my family and friends. The week I spent at Rancho 3M was the most amazing week of my life! I honestly would spend the rest of my life there if I could.
My week started on Saturday afternoon, with my first plane ride. I am very grateful to say that we had a very smooth flight…God was definitely watching out for me! After a 6 hour layover in the Atlanta airport, we made the almost 3 hour flight to El Paso where we met Dean Ademeck. Dean currently serves as the leader of Rancho 3M’s orphanage, school, and church along with his wife, Denise, and their three sons: Taylor, Jeremiah, and Daniel. Shortly after meeting Dean and some quick instructions, we loaded up three 15-passenger vans, and began our journey across the border. We were able to cross over into Juarez with no trouble and we arrived at the Ranch around 12:15am...which means that it was 2:15am in Charlotte.
This year, Rancho 3M is celebrating it’s 40th year anniversary. We were able to stay in one of the original adobe buildings for the week, which was pretty exciting. The lack of “creature comforts” would probably scare off some, but it was such a refreshing time, it gave me a whole new perspective on life. At the Ranch, we had 3 minutes of running water per shower. If someone went over, we wouldn’t have any water in our dorm until much later. When I got back into the states, it was so hard for me to take a regular shower, knowing that back at the Ranch, they had to conserve as much water as they could…I felt as if I were using too much water, just letting it run constantly.
We also had to be super careful not to drink any water down there. The water in Mexico has traces of arsenic and other unpleasant things running through it. So we were super careful to brush our teeth in bottled water, and rinse our dishes with a special solution of water and bleach. It scared me so bad when one of the kids just drank out of the outside faucet, but one of the interns then told me that it is because of the water that the kids have such strong immune systems and rarely get sick.
Sunday was pretty cool, we got to play with the kids before church…church was such a sweet time even if there were things lost in translation. In the afternoon, I accompanied 6 others into El Paso to help with errands to prepare for the coming work days.
We began working on Monday…our days started with breakfast at 7, and shortly after breakfast we all met for assignments and prayer. Each day, we prayed for 2 things, something at the Ranch, and something back home. After our meeting, we each got to work on our projects. I was on the painting crew as well as the dance team. The fence we painted was probably a mile around, and it was made of probably 20 rebar poles in each section of fence. We primed and then painted each section from 9am-1pm, and then again from 3pm-5 or 6pm every day. From 1pm-3pm each afternoon we had lunch and then a special worship and sharing time. It was cool to hear how God was meeting people each day. At 5, the dance team gathered all of the girls that we could find…I think we ended up with about 15 or so…and taught them dance for an hour in the church building. After dance, the calls rang out “a la mesa!” which basically means “dinner time!” After dinner, we pretty much just hung out with the kids.
On Thursday night, we got to give a little dance program for everyone at the Ranch, the girls did such a good job! After the dance, we made a huge bonfire and made s’mores with the kids…there was chocolate EVERYWHERE! It was so cute! It was also a bittersweet night because it was the last time we would get to hug the kids goodnight. Friday, we had planned a special surprise for the kids…a water gun fight! They loved it! It was so much fun seeing the smiles and hearing the squeals of joy. We even got to eat lunch with the kids…something that we hadn’t gotten to do all week…and hang out with them before heading to El Paso for the night. We flew back on Saturday and most of us arrived back in Charlotte around 4:30pm.
The kids were so sweet, I totally fell in love with them! There was this little girl named Christina (see photo) who attached herself to me practically the first second she saw me. She is 6 years old and the sweetest and most beautiful girl in the whole place! I love her to death! She has two brothers at the Ranch: Angel (we called him Tigger because he wouldn’t tell us his name at first) who is 7 and Raul who is 9. The other kids were so much fun, Chuy (pronounced Chewy) is the coolest little guy ever! Estrella (pronounced A-stray-ya…it means star) has the chubbiest cheeks you’ll ever see, and both the Jose’s are both absolutely crazy!
The highlight of my week was probably on Thursday night after the bonfire, a couple of the girls were talking to one of the older guys named Cesar. He mentioned that he wasn’t sure if he was a Christian or not…through this open door, the girls went to go get one of the pastors and our translator to come out and they were able to share the gospel with him and talk to him well into the night. Cesar became a Christian that night which is so exciting! It just makes everything even more worth it to see someone led to Christ. Dean told us that it was such an encouragement that Cesar was saved because Cesar is kind of the leader of the older boys and in the past he has led them in the wrong way. Now that the leader is saved, who knows what will happen now! I look forward to see God’s plan at work in the years to come and how God will use Cesar at the Ranch.
It totally left me in amazement to see how content and happy these kids are. All they have is the clothes on their back and one another…and that’s all they need to be happy. These kids can fit the entirety of their earthly possessions in a shoebox. It makes me sad coming back to America where everyone can be so self-focused and greedy. I hope my point of view is forever changed because of Mexico…I honestly cannot wait to go back! I may be back in Charlotte, but my heart never left the Ranch. Thanks again for your prayers…Love you guys!

Back in America

2009-06-26T23:04:00.002-04:00

Well, I'm sitting here in the lobby of a hotel across from the El Paso airport. Today has been filled with many hugs and tears. Marissa, Amy and I cried all the way from the ranch to El Paso...and it's hard now to keep the tears from falling. This was probably the best week of my life. I've only been away from the Ranch for a few hours and already I miss it and the kids more than anything else. My heart breaks because I am away from them and to tell the truth, I am almost dreading the normalcy that is home, work, and life in general in America. I cannot wait to see my parents and my friends...but I think my heart will always be at Rancho 3M. There are so few distractions and to see God in the eyes of these children, and especially to be a part of Caesar's conversion last night, will be with me forever and I hope to make many trips back to the Ranch in the future. Well, I should sign off for now and get some sleep in order to be awake at 6 for the flight home. I will post pictures soon(I have 671 of them lol)

Today is the day!

2009-06-20T00:37:00.002-04:00

I leave for Mexico in just 14 hours...I've got so many emotions going through me right now its insane! I don't know what I'm feeling exactly...apprehensive, excited, anxious, joyful, prayerful, nervous, happy, unsure...I'm just a bundle of nerves lol, some good, some not so good...but I know that God will be faithful to keep me safe, and to use me for his divine purpose this week. Please pray for me this week if you think about it:

1. That God would use me in any way that He wants
(and that I would have a good attitude about it!)
2. That God would keep me safe and healthy (and that I wouldn't be(too)homesick)
(as well as my fellow travelers)
3. The plane would not crash
(!!!!!!!!!!)
4. My luggage would not be lost
(yes, I'm paranoid)
5. That I will be able to speak clearly and interpret
(currently I understand more than I speak...pray I won't get frustrated if I cannot understand things)

Anyway, I should probably try to sleep since I will get my first experience with jet lag later today. We will probably get to the Ranch after 11pm tonight. Also, I'm not sure if my phone will be working or not but please feel free to text me! I would love to hear from you guys! Love you all and I will see you on Sunday the 28th(or sometime soon after that!)!

I'm leaving the country...

2009-06-17T16:20:00.002-04:00

...in.......3 days... ...I'm flying to Mexico...

...for a week...
Saturday morning I will board a plane(!!!) and head off to Guadalupe, Mexico along with 35 other people. Please pray for us who are going:
(Bakita(3), Cable(2), Davis(3), DeCoste(2), Graf(4), Herlihy(2), Jakubisin(4), Jilek(1), Jones(3), Miracle(ME!), Morales(2), Morrison(2), Pearson(2), Perez(1), Seaver(1), Shedore(3))
That God would keep us safe and healthy as we travel and serve in Mexico and that ultimately God would accomplish his purpose through us.
I will be flying out at 1:15pm and (providing there are no delays) arrive in El Paso, Texas at 8:53pm, we will then drive over to the ranch which is about 45 minutes to an hour away. I will be back Saturday the 27th around 3:52pm.
We'll be at Rancho 3M childrens orphanage...which you can check out here: http://www.rancho3m.com/
I'm the trip photographer so I will have plenty of pictures for you upon my return. I'm also helping teach dance with a few other girls. Other than that, I'm not quite sure what I will be doing...our assignments are based on the Ranch's needs...so I could be painting or canning or helping with computers or (trying to) interpreting or whatever else they need. So just pray that God will give our group strength to do any task that is asked of us, and that we will be able to speak into the lives of the children at the Ranch.
Thanks guys! (Gracias) Hasta la vista (Until next time) ADIOS!!!!!

My nephews...6-10-2009

2009-06-17T15:36:00.009-04:00

It's been a while...

2009-05-31T22:36:00.014-04:00

SO....it's been a long time! I hardly know where to begin so much has happened lately! (so as a warning this may be a long post)

To start off...let me go back to April...April 26th to be exact...it was a Sunday. We got the call that morning that my grandma had passed away. She was a month away from her 96th birthday. Ruth Pauline Fouch Miracle 1913-2009. (Grandma and Me)

Also on April 26th...that evening I was inducted into the Phi Theta Kappa National Honor Society for Two Year Colleges - Phi Lambda Chapter...YAHOO! (yes I'm a nerd...but it's okay)Now, fast forward to May 7th...my last day of the semester...had 2 final exams...Sociology(Marriage and Families) and Biology(Human Anatomy and Physiology) passed both! (got a 96 and 100 respectively) and...........I turned 18!!!!!!......AND!!!!!!!! I got my full drivers license! FINALLY!!!!!! It's been such a fun time driving around by myself in our brand new, used Ford Taurus!...such a feeling!

May 13th I got a new cousin! His name is Gage Michael Banker 20 1/4 inches and 7.7 pounds - born May 13, 2009 @ 5:30 am (stole this picture from cousin Julie)

Isn't he cute!!!!!!

May 23-26th was NEXT...traveling up to Baltimore was so much fun, I've never been to Maryland so I got to see the Pentagon and the Lincoln Memorial and some other important buildings...I've always wanted to go to D.C. and now I have...sort of...one day I am going to go back there and go see all the sights and the historical stuff...but NEXT was amazing...just gotta say that. Here's some pics...these are from the drive up to NEXT:

The Stage

The T-shirt side of the BookstoreWe stopped in Chapel hill for dinner at Franklin St. Pizza & Pasta and on the way to find the restaurant, I saw this beautiful sunset!

So that's pretty much it...oh yeah! I almost forgot...I found out something that's so amazingly cool! Mom was reading this book: It's called "They Call Me Mother Graham ~ The Power of Christ in a Home" by Morrow Coffey Graham...Billy Graham's Mother. On page 17 she writes, "I have always lived just a few miles from the site of my birth. In a day and age when people move around so much, that's quite unusual, I know. I was born February 23, 1892, right on the farm in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. I was country-bred and country-raised. I can trace my ancestry to the Scottish pioneers who settled in the Carolinas before the Revolutionary War. One of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, Ezra Alexander, was a relative, as was President James K. Polk."Well, as most of you know, I am also related to James K. Polk. My Granny has our family history written down and has traced it back far enough to discover that President James Knox Polk is a distant cousin of mine. Which means.......that I am ALSO related to Billy Graham!

And the really funny thing is....my dad once sang in a choir with George Beverly Shea (who recently turned 100 years old) at a Billy Graham Crusade!!!How fun is that!? Anyway...thats all for now, sorry for the length of my post =)

Online Portfolio!

2009-05-13T11:19:00.003-04:00

So, i've been working on my photography skills for a while now, and I've finally got enough good stuff to start my own portfolio! I'm so excited! It's not quite finished but there's enough on there to at least check it out...and please do! =D

http://fr0zenm0ments.blogspot.com/

Songs from Rekindle ~ Part 2

2009-05-12T23:27:00.005-04:00

Be My Vision

(re-wording by Chris Flanigan)

Be my obsession, O King of my heart

All else is lost to me, only You are

Lord be my vision, by day or by night

Waking or sleeping, Your presence is my light

Lord be my vision and my only wisdom

You are my all

My deepest pleasure and my greatest treaure

And You are my all

Lord be my wisdom, and be my true word

You are my Father, my sonship incured

You never leave me, although I may stray

Christ in me living, so that I might obey

Lord give me shelter, and grace for my call

Lord be my boasting, and Christ be my all

Be my protector, and strength in the fight

From Thou peace of darkness, to heavens delight

Lord be my vision and my only wisdom

You are my all

My deepest pleasure and my greatest treasure

And You are my all

Discard my riches, and mans empty praise

You are my treasure, both now and always

Lord be exclusively first in my heart

My King of heaven, my fortune You are

High King of heaven, my victories won

May I reach heaven's joys, oh bright heaven's Son

Heart of my own heart, whatever befall

Still be my vision, oh ruler of all

Lord be my vision and my only wisdom

You are my all

My deepest pleasure and my greatest treasure

And You are my all

Songs from Rekindle ~ Part 1

2009-05-11T02:55:00.005-04:00

This song was probably my favorite of all the songs we sang at Rekindle 2009, every time I hear this song it makes me realize how great my need for a Savior is...without him the conquest cannot be won, the strength of sin is not subdued, and my relentless sin is not broken...but because of His great love...it's all possible, sin is defeated, and I am clean.

Sinner's Plea

Chris Flanigan

To know Thee and feel Thee mine

I will not quit my claim

Until all is lost in Thine

and all renewed I am

To hold Thee with trembling hand

But will not let Thee go

Steadfast by faith I stand

And all thy goodness know

And in me sacred fire might now begin to glow

Burn the dross of base desire and make the mountains flow

Your Love Lord! Can the conquest win.

The strength of sin subdue, and Christ be all to me

Break my relentless sin

And form my soul anew so Christ be all to me

No longer my heart shall mourn
While purified by grace

And for His glory burn
and always see His face

And shall I see the hour that plants my God in me

Spirit of life and power, and perfect liberty

Your Love Lord! Can the conquest win.

The strength of sin subdue, and Christ be all to me

Break my relentless sin

And form my soul anew so Christ be all to me